Yet more on the Hawfinches at Woodstock 24th March 2025

A male Hawfinch is a joy to behold but until today I had not been granted even a sniff of the male that has been consorting with four females in my favourite cemetery at Woodstock. Gareth my Hawfinch buddy has seen him at least twice and obtained some very nice images on two occasions but all I have ever seen are the females.

Please do not misundertsand me, any sighting of these secretive, enigmatic birds is to be celebrated but the females are much less colourful than the male which at this time of year is at his very best.

Today it was touch and go whether I made the effort to go to the cemetery.The weather predicted to be sunny was anything but, with grey clouds and a chill wind blowing from the northwest. You could describe it as raw. Still, the incentive of seeing Hawfinches was enough to get me up and out and a little later than usual I arrived at Woodstock around 7.30, parked in the normal place and walked the short distance down the road to the cemetery.

Thankfully where I stood placed the cold wind at my back while the promised sun was now just a forlorn hope.I stood for a very long time and saw absolutely no sign of a Hawfinch but I am used to this state of affairs and know that eventually I will see one or more. In fact there was little birdlife of any sort in the cemetery.The predictable Blackbirds and a few Goldfinches flew around but the seed had tempted very little apart from the occasional Greenfinch and Dunnock.

If you watch Hawfinches  you know that there will be long spells of utter boredom made bearable by the knowledge that sheer doggedness and persistence will bring an eventual reward.That is the way it is with Hawfinches

After half an hour I was joined by a photographer and we chatted amiably about this and that as the time slipped past with not a sign.Regularly I re-assured my colleague that the Hawfinches would show up but my attempts to raise both his spirits and indeed mine began to wear thin.

Eventually another photographer who had arrived un-noticed at the gate called to us that there were two Hawfinches perched at the top of a very tall yew near us. They were just about visible but more exciting for me was that one was the male that has proved so elusive. Photography of these two was pretty pointless but we nevertheless aimed our lenses in their direction.Well after all the waiting you somehow felt compelled.

My companion told me he would have to go as his wife had given him strict instructions that they were going shopping in Milton Keynes but just on the point of leaving a Hawfinch dropped to the ground.

There's one on the ground he whispered

Indeed there was and................

It's the male! I exlaimed excitedly and we took as many images as possible of this vision of loveliness What a joy it was to see his plumage of pastel colours; orange head. wide, dove grey neck boa, plumbeous pink underparts, chocolate brown back and white wing bars. His bill, ivory white in winter now turned a shiny, gun metal blue.In the company of a Greenfinch he hopped around examining the grass for hidden seeds and for a couple of minutes remained earthbound but then flew up into a yew.

We examined each others photos and congratulated ourselves on this last minute good fortune, then my friend departed and I was back to resuming my lone vigil.Despite feeling thoroughly chilled and decidedly uncomfortable in the miserable weather.there was no chance I was leaving with the male obviously still in the vicinity 

After half an hour I was regretting my decision to hang on, having seen nothing apart  from a female Hawfinch briefly on the ground and a couple flying between the yews and showing no interest in the seed whatsoever.

Then a Hawfinch flew low across the ancient gravestones, its white wing bars flashing and landed in the cherry tree below which the seed lay. The light was horrible, the bird was positioned in the open but silhouetted against a sullen grey sky and well, you get the picture. I did my best with the camera settings. Under normal circumstances with sunshine it would have made for a great image.Nevertheless I did what I could and felt the results were acceptable, all things considered.

I was hoping it would fly down but it had a change of mind and retreated to the yews, however it soon returned, perching half hidden in a tangle of twigs and branches in the cherry tree. 

For what seemed an eternity of exquisite tension he looked around, checking and re-checking the ground, forever wary. I willed him to come down and slowly he slipped from branch to twig, lower and ever lower towards the ground but just when I was getting ready to celebrate success he hesitated. So typical of a Hawfinch, their reclusive character forever making them ultra cautious.It would not have surprised me if he retreated but no, this time he dropped to the ground and then spent the next five minutes feeding on the seed that myself and Gareth have provided almost daily, while I exulted at finally having the opportunity to see and photograph this lovely bird.

An absolute delight, so much longed for and now finally come to fruition.

I could not ask for more but of course I will and doubtless will return to the cemetery.